Oh Brother! My Brother
by blackangus
Summary: Edie's brother comes to visit only to discover something very personal about his sister and Peter Gunn.
1. Chapter 1

**Not my characters, just my story. I only wish I owned Pete. The story is best read if you've seen the series and know the characters. If you haven't seen it lately, watch, enjoy.**

 _This is just a sorta kinda fluff piece that introduces Edie's brother. The story doesn't give a lot of detail about him, just includes him to make the story go. Hopefully we'll see him sometime in the future again. As is the norm Pete is on the wrong end of some bumps and bruises but that's just the way it goes!_

 **Oh Brother! My Brother**

Peter Gunn trudged tiredly up the stairs leading to Edie Hart's apartment, stopping in front of Number 15 and digging in his pants pocket for his keys. He slipped the correct one into the lock and quietly opened the door, shutting it behind him just as softly. Without turning on the lights he shrugged out of his suit jacket and tossed it over the back of a chair, loosening his tie at the same time. He was beat. He'd finished an out of town job a day early and decided to head home instead of sleeping in a motel room for another night, four nights had been more than enough. Seven straight hours of driving had him back in town by two and parked outside of Edie's apartment building by two-fifteen. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed beside her and sleep the sleep of the dead. He would give her a proper hello once the sun came up. That thought brought a weary smile to his face. There was nowhere else in the world he had wanted to be for the last few days than with his girl and he'd driven right past his own place just to get here. He needed to stop taking these cases that took him so far from home.

A squeaking sound had Pete turning his head to look behind him. His smile grew at the sight of the ginger-colored cat stretching sleepily in the soft glow of the nightlight. With a chuckle he headed in the direction of the bedroom. Halfway there a different sound brought him to a stop and turned him around. He staggered backwards, upsetting a lamp, as a fist connected with his face, then doubled over and fell to his hands and knees at a very low blow that knocked the breath from his lungs. He grunted and slumped to his side, reflexively curling into a fetal position as the pain radiated through his groin. He felt a presence beside him and hands grabbing at him and another glancing blow to the face but he had no desire to do anything but just lay there and wish the pain away.

Suddenly the lights were on and Edie ran out of the bedroom, hastily pulling her robe on over silk pajamas.

"What hap-" The sight of the dark haired man lying on the floor, clearly in a great deal of pain, had her on her knees on the carpet next to him. "Pete!"

"Pete?" Jeff Hart released his grip on the man's shirt, belatedly recognizing the man he'd punched as his sister's boyfriend.

"Pete, are you all right? Pete?" Edie tried to help the prone man roll over but he resisted all her attempts, instead clutching at his midsection and trying hard to breathe properly through a bloodied nose. She tossed an agitated glance at the fair haired, pajama-clad man on Pete's other side. "What happened?"

She tried to gently turn Pete's face to get a look at the damage but stopped when he hissed in further pain. Another glance at her brother had him trying to explain how he'd awakened from his slumber on the small pullout bed to the sound of someone entering the apartment. Instinct had taken over and he'd gone on the offensive before the intruder could make a move against him. As Edie listened to his explanation she was finally able to coax Pete onto his back. She gasped at the sight of the blood seeping from his nose.

"Oh Pete, honey, look at you." Her hands gently roamed his face looking for further damage. She glared across him at her brother.

Pete raised his eyebrows weakly as one hand went to his left eye, which was already beginning to puff up.

"Swell way to welcome a fella home," he mumbled, raising his knees and rocking from side to side in an attempt to relieve some of his pain. Edie missed the odd look her brother threw her way. She was too busy trying to assess Pete's injuries. The eye and nose she could do something about. The other, well, she wasn't really sure.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere more comfortable." She motioned to her brother and between the two of them they got the injured man upright. Pete suddenly felt like a turkey wishbone as he was pulled toward the living room by Jeff and toward the bedroom by Edie. He ended up in the bedroom much to the discomfiture of his girlfriend's brother. Once he was settled on the bed Edie's hands were running over him again.

"Honey, are you hurt anywhere else? Did you hit your head?" She grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and gently cleaned the blood from below his nose where it was already congealing.

On the one hand Pete felt like he just wanted to curl up and die. On the other hand he wanted her to continue touching him like this forever. He finally just moved his head in a negative motion where it rested on the pillow. He looked at her fuzzily as she gently removed his already loosened tie and tossed it on the bedroom chair. His shoes followed.

Jeff moved to stand beside her, uncomfortable simply because his little sister had removed those two very innocuous items of clothing. He was afraid of what might be coming off next.

"Why don't you let me do that?"

"Haven't you done enough already?" She frowned and shot him an irritated glance. It had been a long time since she'd been this frustrated with her brother and she sensed his discomfort with what she was doing. She had a good mind to go for Pete's belt next just for spite.

"Look, Edie, I'm sorry. It was just a reflex action on my part. If I'd known it was Pete I wouldn't have reacted the way I did, but I _didn't_ know. For all I knew it could have been a burglar... or something worse." He was struck by a sudden thought and frowned toward Pete. "Besides, what was he doing sneaking in here at two o'clock in the morning anyway?"

Edie ignored him as she inspected Pete's eye and decided on a course of action. Her fingers were gentle in their inspection of the bruise already forming but Pete still flinched at her touch and said ouch and glowered at her and pushed her hand away.

"And how did he get in?" He was suddenly becoming more than a little bit suspicious as he sensed his sister didn't seem surprised to have her boyfriend come waltzing into her apartment in the dead of night. "Please don't tell me he has a key." He gave her a searching look and waited for an answer that didn't come. "Edie?"

Edie released a frustrated breath and pushed past her brother. She went to the kitchen and gathered ice and a towel into a makeshift ice pack, then stopped in the bathroom to moisten a washcloth. Jeff stood in the doorway and watched as she positioned the ice over Pete's eye and then used the cloth to gently clean away the remaining blood from his nose which had stopped bleeding. She didn't know what else she could physically do for him for the moment so she decided on aspirin as the next course of action.

"There's some aspirin in the nightstand drawer," she motioned vaguely in that direction. "I'll get some water."

Stepping around the bed, Jeff opened the drawer and began searching for the aspirin. He gave Pete a thoughtful look as he rummaged through hankies and magazines and cough drops and hand cream and everything else a woman seemed to collect.

"Look Pete, I feel bad about punching you." He finally found something that might contain aspirin. "I've just had an irritating week and it's been a long day and and I miss my wife and kids. The sooner I get home the happier I'll be." He spared Pete a quick glance. "I'm sure you know the feeling. And then you come stumbling through in the middle..." His voice trailed off.

Edie returned with a glass of water to find her brother staring at something he held in his hand.

"Did you find the aspirin?"

He lifted his eyes and looked at her for a long moment before returning his gaze to the item in his hand.

"I'm not sure," he finally said, then held up the yellow tin with the brand name of a popular men's form of protection emblazoned on the lid. Disbelief warred with disappointment as he stared at her. "Unless this is what you call aspirin these days."

There was a brief uncomfortable silence then Edie grabbed the tin from his hand and threw it back in the drawer. She quickly found the smaller tin of Bayer tablets and got Pete to sit up a little so she could get a couple into him, followed by a sip of water. He lay his head back on the pillow, re-positioning the ice pack on the one eye while giving her a questioning look with the other. She gave him a small reassuring smile.

"I'll get you a shot of bourbon, maybe that will make you feel a little better."

She headed back to the kitchen, her brother hot on her heels, and grabbed a bottle from an upper cabinet. Opening another cabinet she found a small glass and poured some bourbon. Capping the bottle and picking up the glass she turned around and nearly ran smack into Jeff.

"Edie, what's going on?" His deep voice held frustration and disbelief and a frown marred his handsome face. "Tell me you aren't doing what it looks like you're doing with that guy."

"Save it for later," she answered in a low voice, shaking off the hand he lay on her arm and brushing past him. She closed the bedroom door in his face.

* * *

Edie watched as Pete swallowed the bourbon then she took the glass and set it on the nightstand. She placed the ice pack over his cheekbone this time and then began unbuttoning his shirt. She removed his wristwatch, cuff links, belt and socks then with a little cooperation from him got him undressed down to his boxers. Then she just looked at him, wondering what she might be able to do to relieve the pain not related to his eye and nose. Pete met her gaze, a cautionary gleam in his eyes. She finally just decided to pull the covers up over him. Then she sat down beside him on the bed, crossing her legs Indian-style so she could face him and running a soothing hand up and down his chest.

"If I'd known you had company I wouldn't have come over," Pete told her.

"I didn't know I was going to have company and you're back early," those final few words spoken in light accusation.

"I wanted to surprise you."

"You certainly managed that," Edie teased.

"I should probably go home." But he made no move to get up.

"You're not going anywhere, Buster."

"Yes ma'am."

Pete removed the ice pack and placed it on the nightstand.

"I missed you." The words were accompanied by a tired sigh. "I managed to get things done sooner than I expected and just decided to drive home after."

"And just look at all the trouble it got you into," dimples appeared as Edie smiled and ran fingers over his face and hair, careful to avoid the bruises.

Pete huffed in annoyance then grabbed her roaming hand and gave it a kiss then held onto it.

"Speaking of which, I think I got you into some." He felt his body begin to relax from the aspirin, the drink and especially her ministrations.

"You didn't get me into any trouble," she assured him.

"Not what it sounded like to me."

Edie sighed as she turned his hand over in hers and began studying the small fine hairs on the back of it, the neatly trimmed fingernails, the small callus on one side of his index finger. She wondered why life had to be so complicated sometimes.

"I love my brother."

"I know."

"I just-" Her voice was consumed by frustration. "He treats me like I'm still twelve years old. Sometimes it seems like he doesn't realize that he's not the only one who grew up and left home and made a life. I don't need him to fight my battles for me or try to protect me from myself." Her clear gaze met Pete's. "Or from anyone else."

"He loves you, too." His eyes crinkled at the corners as his lips curved in a smile, his lashes dark smudges against his cheeks as his eyelids became heavy. "It's just human nature to want to protect the people you love."

"You love me." Blue eyes searched his face.

"Yes I do."

"You don't treat me that way."

"That's because I love a different you."

Pete smiled at her confused look, catching her restless hand in his and raising both to trail a soft caress along her cheek.

"Jeff loves the little girl he grew up with. To him you'll always be his little sister no matter how many years go by and how old you both get. That will never change. He had you for all those years and knows all those little girl things about you and they'll always be a part of him. He's very lucky."

"And you?"

"Me? I love you the way a man loves a woman." He stared into her eyes and felt a sudden lump in his throat at exactly how much he did love her. "That's an entirely different proposition. I get to have you for the rest of my life and I get to learn all those womanly things about you that nobody else will ever know." He smiled and gave her a sleepy wink. "I think I got the better end of the deal."

"That's nice, Pete." Edie smiled one of those big slow smiles that made his heart want to burst. Then the smile dimmed a bit, but not entirely. "But I'm still mad at him."

She picked up the now soggy ice pack from the nightstand, flung open the bedroom door and made her way to the kitchen for a dry towel and more ice. When she returned Jeff was standing at the bedroom door, arms folded across his chest, peering in at Pete. He'd obviously noticed Pete's bare chest, uncovered down to his belly button, his clothes draped over the chair and his personal items on top of the bureau.

"Go back to bed," Edie told him tiredly as she pushed past him into the bedroom and made to close the door. "You have an early day."

"You're sleeping in there with him?"

"Yes," Edie, clearly exasperated, spelled it out for him, "s-l-e-e-p-i-n-g."

Jeff Hart had never seen this side of his sister. It was as if he was talking to an entirely different person than the girl he'd grown up with. And that apparently had everything to do with the man in her bedroom. Though their folks, based on one previous meeting, appeared to find him a likable enough fellow, he himself was of the firm belief that Peter Gunn was leading his sister down the garden path. And in his mind the events of the early morning hours clearly confirmed that.

"That's-"

" _That's_ none of your business."

"You're my sister, that makes it my business," he argued.

When she didn't answer he tried a different tack.

"Do Mom and Pop know what's going on between you two?"

Edie glared at him, her lips forming a thin line, and shut the bedroom door.

* * *

Showered, shaved and wearing a fresh suit, Jeff Hart paused in the kitchen doorway and stood for a few moments watching his sister. He'd heard them talking as he'd lain in his own bed during the early hours of the morning, the light musical tones of his sister intermixed with the deeper rumbles of Peter Gunn. He didn't hear what they were saying, the words themselves, just the muffled sounds of their voices, seemingly very much at ease with one another. Like it was something they did on a regular basis, lying in bed talking.

He took a critical inventory of his sister as he leaned against the door jamb and continued to watch, unnoticed, as she prepared breakfast. Edie had exchanged her light blue robe and white silk pajamas for a pair of dark blue close-fitting slacks and a white short-sleeved shirt that fell a few inches below her waist. The cut of both items of clothing highlighted her figure and brought out the golden highlights in her hair. She wore a watch on one wrist and a wide gold bracelet on the other along with a pair of clip-on pearl and gold earrings and a necklace in the same style. On her feet were low-slung white sandals. Jeff drew a deep breath and released a silent sigh. Somewhere along the line little Edith Hart had transformed into a grown up woman and a person in her own right. But that didn't mean she had ceased to be his little sister. It also didn't mean she should be sharing her bed and, well, everything that encompassed, with a man to whom she wasn't married. Especially the man in question.

Stepping into the kitchen he cleared his throat and gave Edie a tentative smile as she spared him a sideways glance. She didn't return the smile nor did she say anything as she kept an eye on the eggs cooking in a skillet on the stove.

"Some of that for me?" Jeff tried again, moving to take some plates from a cabinet and pick some silverware from a drawer. He looked on as she filled one of the plates with scrambled eggs, bacon and toast and then handed it to him. Grabbing a fork, knife and napkin he sat down at the small kitchen table. He began eating only when it became obvious she wasn't joining him. There had been only a few times in his life when he'd been on the receiving end of the silent treatment from his sister and it appeared this might turn into another. Halfway through his breakfast he dropped his fork to his plate and slumped back in his chair, watching as she poured herself a cup of coffee without offering him any.

"I apologize for that crack about Mom and Pop." Jeff pursed his lips and let out a sigh, running a frustrated hand over his short-cropped dark blond hair and along the back of his neck. He placed his elbows on the table and leaned forward and stared at Edie. "I just don't understand how you can be-" He ran a hand over his face in continued frustration and stared at Edie for a few long seconds. "That sort of relationship is-"

Edie's empty coffee cup hit the counter with a loud bang, interrupting whatever he was about to say, and her eyes sparked with a dangerous blue fire.

"You know absolutely nothing about our relationship," she informed him, her voice extraordinarily calm.

"I know enough about it that I'd rather he not be around while I'm here."

"Then maybe you should go stay at a motel for the next few days."

"Edie-"

But he was talking to her back. And that's the way Peter Gunn found the two of them when he slowly walked into the kitchen about five minutes later. He had taken a shower and dressed, finding clean underclothes and a fresh shirt in the closet. Beyond that he looked a little scruffy, having not yet shaved and in dire need of a haircut, dire as far as Peter Gunn was concerned anyway. The bruising above and below and around his left eye didn't help things any. All things considered he looked very unlike his usual dapper self. He cast a look at Edie's brother, who ignored him and quickly went back to eating his now cold breakfast. So he stopped just behind Edie and looked over her shoulder as she gently dropped several eggs into a small pot of water already heating on the stove.

"It still continues to amaze me," he quietly observed. His hands settled naturally at her hips and he figured he was probably adding fuel to the fire if the man sitting at the table behind them was paying any attention but he just couldn't help himself and he really didn't care.

Knowing where the running joke was going Edie played along anyway.

"What's that?" She asked, humoring him.

"The things you can do with boiling water," he answered, aware of her guile. "If it wasn't for you and that pot I'd probably starve to death."

"You're a nut." She smiled and offered him a sideways glance, admiring his disheveled appearance but worried about the bruising on his face. She touched a hand to his chin and turned his head so she had a better view of his eye. Seeing her concern Pete just shrugged a little and bumped her shoulder with his own.

She set the timer as the water began to boil then elbowed past him to slip a couple slices of bread into the toaster. As she did, Thomas the cat appeared out of nowhere, as was the norm. He stared up at the counter and began meowing to attract attention to the plight of his hungry stomach. Edie looked down at him and shushed him, explaining to him that first the humans were fed and after that it would cat feeding time. He whipped his tail around in annoyance until Pete gently picked him up.

"Come on, Bozo. Let's go see if we can find the newspaper."

When he returned, the cat under one arm and the paper under the other, Edie was setting a plate with two boiled eggs and an egg cup, toast and bacon on the table along with two cups of coffee, one for each of the men, her anger with Jeff relenting just that little bit. She smiled mischievously at Pete's thank you.

"I even cut your toast into those little soldiers you like so much."

He gave a bemused smile and this time a half-embarrassed thanks as he felt Jeff's gaze fix on him over the fold of the sports page the other man had picked up. Edie brought her own coffee over and sat down between the two men, idly reading the front page of the _News Standard_ as Pete ate in silence. The telephone rang just as Pete finished eating, causing Edie to roll her eyes and look at the clock on the counter. Barely past eight o'clock. She grumbled, wondering who could be calling at this hour, before going into the next room to find out.

When he was certain she was out of sight and out of earshot Jeff dropped his section of the newspaper, folded his arms on the table and leaned forward, his face troubled as he stared at Pete. As Pete picked up his coffee cup and took a sip their gazes clashed.

"You know, I've had my doubts about your true feelings for my sister but I never thought you'd turn out to be _that_ kind of guy." Jeff's blue eyes held the same spark he himself had seen in Edie's earlier and there was a grim set to his handsome face.

" _That_ kind of guy?" Pete stared right back at him over the rim of his cup before taking another sip of coffee, setting it down and mimicking the other man's posture.

"Yeah, _that_ kind of guy. The kind of man who leads a woman on and spends his money on her and promises her the world just so he can get what he wants from her." His angry eyes raked Pete's face. "The kind of man who's all talk and no commitment."

"And just what does _that_ kind of man want?"

"What you're obviously getting from my sister."

"Meaning?" Pete's question was disarmingly soft but the tic of his jaw gave away his growing anger at the other man.

"You're not naive. You know what I'm talking about. How long has it been going on?"

"Not your business."

"Edie's my sister. She's my family. That makes it my business." Jeff pushed his chair back and stood up, placing his hands on the table and leaning even closer into Pete. "I just wish I knew what kind of fairy tales you've been feeding her to get her that involved with you. Any man who takes advantage of a woman like that, any man who treats a woman that way, is a jerk."

Pete didn't respond. He got up from the table, took his dishes to the sink and began rinsing them. Once that was done he opened the refrigerator and took out a small bowl from which he dropped a few bits of leftover meat into the cat's dish. Thomas hurried over from where he'd been crouched in a corner keeping a wary eye on the situation. Returning the bowl to the refrigerator Pete absently wondered who was keeping Edie talking on the phone for so long. He also wondered whether she'd mind if he killed her brother.

"Does she think you plan on marrying her?"

"Also not your business."

"So what, that's all it is then? You just drop by for a quick roll in the hay whenever you get the itch and you have my sister at your beck and call-"

Jeff Hart's head snapped back against hard wood as Pete grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and slammed him roughly against the kitchen door frame, getting into his face, close and personal. Pete didn't know whether to be glad or ashamed to see the tiniest spark of fear in the other man's eyes.

"Don't you _ever_ say anything like that again," he ground out. "I don't care what your opinion of me is or what you say about me or what you _think_ you know about me, but you show your sister some respect."

"Pete!"

Edie was suddenly next to him, one hand on his shoulder while the other grabbed at his forearm as she attempted to pull him away. With a deep breath he finally let go of Jeff's jacket and stepped back, staring at him for a moment before pushing at his chest with an open palm and shoving him into the door frame one more time. Then he stepped around Edie and headed back toward the bedroom.

Edie looked at her brother askance, uncertain about what had just happened between two of the most important people in her life.

"What did you do?"

"What do you mean, what did _I_ do? How do you know he wasn't the one who started it?" Jeff straightened his jacket and smoothed the lapels.

"Because I know you and I know Pete. _He_ wouldn't act that way unless he was pushed and _you're_ very good at pushing. You're acting like a child!"

He had the good grace to look ashamed. Edie looked at her watch, tired of the discourse, tired of her brother's antics, tired of the entire situation.

"Don't you have to leave for your meeting?" Her voice was cool.

Jeff nodded.

"In a few minutes." He motioned with one hand toward the bathroom door, which was now closed. "As soon as I can get in there. Look, Edie," he rubbed the same hand over his eyes tiredly, "I'm your brother and I love you and I'm just trying to protect you."

"From what?" She watched his gaze stray back to the closed bathroom door. Her eyes widened. "From Pete?" she asked, incredulously, almost laughing at the ludicrousness of the situation. Almost. "You must be out of your mind."

"Can't you see he's just-"

His mouth snapped shut as they both heard the bathroom door open and saw Peter Gunn's lean frame emerge. He had shaved, combed his hair and was in the process of knotting his necktie as he strode into the living room. Edie watched in dismay as he found his suit jacket on the chair over which he'd tossed it in the wee hours of the morning, checking the inside pocket for his wallet and pulling his keys out of the side pocket. With a murderous glare at her brother she left him to his own devices and hurried over to where Pete was shrugging into his jacket.

"Pete. You're leaving?"

"I have some errands to run." His brief glance at her revealed the poker face which normally wasn't directed at her. He checked his other pockets to make sure he had the rest of his personal items. "I need to stop at the bank, get a haircut, check my messages..." he paused thoughtfully, frowning slightly as he moved his shoulders back and forth, "...and maybe sit in the steam for an hour."

Edie folded her arms across her middle and watched as Pete selected his car key from the key ring in his hand and walked past her. He paused with his hand on the doorknob and after a long moment turned his head to look at her. She stood with her back to him just as he'd left her, blond hair falling softly against shoulders that seemed just a little too tense. With an inward sigh he took the few steps that brought him back to her and moved to stand in front of her. Without a word, without otherwise touching her, he leaned forward and kissed her, his lips lingering as he felt her response, felt her arms snake around him. He looped his arms around her as he pulled back, looking her in the eyes.

"Lunch?"

Edie gave him a disappointed smile as she shook her head.

"I already made plans with Sheila. You weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow, remember? That was her on the phone." Now that Pete knew who it was that Edie had been talking to he understood why she had been on the phone so long. "She already made reservations for lunch and we planned on visiting some dress shops. But I can call her..." Her voice trailed off as Pete shook his head.

"No, you go and have some fun." He leaned his forehead against hers. "How about a late supper instead?"

"I'd like that."

Pete dropped his keys into his pocket then brought his hands up to frame her face. He placed a light kiss on her lips, then another, then a third that turned into something much, much more. Edie's arms moved from his waist to his shoulders, one hand cupping the back of his neck, while his hands moved to the small of her back to pull her as close as possible. So close she could feel his body's physical response to their kisses. Then she felt his hands on her arms, gently pushing her away.

"I'll make a call and pick you up around seven."

This time she turned and watched him as he left, smiling in response to the wink he gave her while pulling the door shut behind himself. She was still smiling when Jeff appeared next to her, shifting uncomfortably as he glanced from her to the door through which Peter Gunn had just exited. Edie held up a hand as her brother opened his mouth to say something. She didn't even look at him.

"Just... Just _go_."


	2. Chapter 2

The inside of the car was quiet as Pete drove along the brick-paved streets of the older part of town. When making reservations he had decided on a place that a was a little off the beaten path yet was a favorite of his and Edie's. _Constantine's_ was popular with a somewhat regular clientele in their same age range and was a place where you could get lost among the other couples and families, where you could be alone in a crowd, where no one bothered you unless you wanted to be bothered. It wasn't a fancy upscale restaurant like the chains that were beginning to sweep the country nor was it a dump. _Constantine's_ was just a medium-sized hole-in-the-wall sort of place that served good middle class food to a middle class crowd. It was part and parcel of an older neighborhood that had survived the good times and the bad, consisting of apartments and residential areas that drew people from every walk of life, along with thriving businesses and places of entertainment. Not really far from his place or Edie's place or _Mother's_ or the riverfront, it was an area he'd always liked and wouldn't mind settling down in someday.

Coming to a stop at a red light, Pete glanced at Edie then reached over and took hold of her left hand where it lay in her lap. He felt her fingers lace with his as he watched for the light to turn green.

"So Mr. Gunn, what are our plans for the evening?" Her eyes twinkled at him and she released his hand as he lifted his foot from the brake, shifted gears and eased the big car through the light. Slowing to allow another car to pull out of a parking space about two blocks from their destination, Pete claimed the spot and quickly parked the Plymouth Fury parallel to the curb. He shut off the engine before turning in his seat to look at her.

"Well that depends, Miss Hart."

His eyes smiled at her as he admired her face and hair and the dress she was wearing. When she had opened her door when he buzzed – just to be on the safe side he had decided against using his key to let himself in this time – he had complimented her on how pretty she looked. She didn't know the half of it. He could barely keep his eyes off of her as they walked from the apartment building to the car.

"I was thinking we could have a nice leisurely dinner." He lifted his hand and with one finger tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Then later we could build a nice big fire, put on some music, take our shoes off. See where the evening takes us."

"I like the the sound of that." Edie smiled her biggest smile, the one he loved the best, and turned to face him, reaching out a hand to straighten his tie.

" _Or_ we could have dinner and I could get you home at a reasonable hour and leave you at your door with a chaste kiss goodnight." Pete's lips twitched. "That would be the gentlemanly thing to do and would in no way besmirch your character. It would also probably be safer for me."

"What would be the fun in that?" she teased. "Besides, my character hasn't been besmirched in almost a week," her tone was innocent yet suggestive as she pulled on his tie to bring his face closer to hers for a kiss, "and it's been missing you very much." She smiled against his lips.

The kiss they shared was brief but forceful, a promise of things to come. Pete pulled away and opened his door, letting it swing shut behind him as he walked around the front of the car, opening her door for her and extending his hand to help her out onto the sidewalk.

What happened next seemed to take place in the space of a heartbeat. Muted but angry voices from inside _Schaub's_ _Deli_ just a couple doors down from where they were parked. The sound of a gunshot and running feet. A door swinging open and a man rushing out, waving a pistol at a man and woman crossing at the corner. Another shot fired indiscriminately back into the store. The man turning and pointing his weapon toward Peter Gunn and Edie Hart as they stood on the sidewalk, the woman in his line of fire. Pete shoving her forcefully to the ground as he reached for his own weapon, crouching against the still open car door and firing as he saw the other man pull the trigger.

Edie pulled herself to her knees in the silence following the gunshots, her gaze going from Pete to the man lying wounded and still on the ground about twenty feet away, then returning to Pete as he dropped to one knee, pulled his suit jacket aside and replaced his pistol.

"Are you all right?"

Pete didn't look at her as he asked the question, his eyes straying from the fallen assailant to several people who'd come out of some neighboring shops to the police car that careened around the corner, coming to a stop next to the car in front of them, siren winding down but red light continuing to flash.

"Yes, I'm fine..."

Edie sat back, leaning against the side of the car, oblivious to her bumps and bruises. She wondered why his voice sounded so funny.

"Are you?" He didn't answer so she got shakily to her feet and went to kneel in front of him. "Pete?"

He just looked at her. His eyes looked funny, too. As she reached out to touch his shoulder she glanced down. The front of his shirt was covered with blood, wet and bright red against the stark white material. There was a question in his dark blue eyes as he looked at her and his lips parted slightly as though he was about to say something. Then he fell forward into her arms.

* * *

Lieutenant Jacoby sat across from Edie Hart in the small second floor waiting room at St. Francis Hospital. She sat forward on the small couch, elbows on her knees and her hands covering her face, a light blanket lying across her shoulders. Neither her posture nor the covering was enough to hide the blood stains on the front of her light blue dress. Jacoby had hurried to the scene of the armed robbery and shooting upon learning that his friend Peter Gunn had been involved, had listened to the firsthand reports of several witnesses as well as the reports of the first officers on the scene, had then headed to the hospital. He had found Edie, discussed Pete's status with the head nurse and then had joined Edie in the waiting room. He hadn't had any luck in getting her to answer any questions but upon asking if she wanted him to call anyone for her she had said something about her brother. He was staying at her place while in town on business, had likely returned home from a dinner meeting and was probably wondering where she was. Jacoby had been calling her home phone at ten minute intervals with no luck. With a glance at his watch he decided to try again. The phone picked up on the second ring.

– "Hello... is this Jeff?"

– "Lieutenant Jacoby. I'm a friend of Pete and Edie."

– "I know she's not. I'm at the hospital with both of them right now."

– "No, don't worry, she's fine. It's Pete..."

– "He was shot."

– "About two hours ago. He's still in surgery. I think Edie-"

– "St. Francis. Second floor..."

– "You might bring her a change of clothes."

– "We'll be watching for you... thanks."

No more than twenty minutes later Jeff Hart strode into the waiting room, a small travel bag slung over his shoulder, his worried glance quickly settling on Edie as he made his way around several chairs occupied by individuals patiently waiting for news of their own loved ones. He said her name as he dropped the travel bag, his eyes settling on the dried brown splotches that covered the front of her dress, then she was standing and clutching at him, her arms tight around his neck and her face buried in his shoulder. His own arms went around her as he nodded at the grim faced man who rose from the chair opposite of where his sister had been sitting. He simply stood and held Edie for several minutes before gently placing his hands on her shoulders and stepping back. His hands moved from her shoulders to her face as he tried to dry her tears.

"Hey, everything's going to be okay." His voice was soft as he brushed her hair back from her face and looked earnestly into her eyes. "Everything will be fine, I promise."

Jacoby stepped forward and picked up the travel bag.

"Edie." He waited until he knew he had her attention. "Jeff brought you a change of clothes." He held the bag out to her and nodded toward the ladies room. It momentarily appeared she might refuse but she finally accepted the bag and made her way past the nurses station and pushed through the door of the room Jacoby had indicated.

After his sister disappeared from view Jeff turned toward the policeman.

"What happened?"

"Armed robbery gone bad." Jacoby shrugged helplessly. "They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I've gotten the reports from the witnesses and the officers on the scene but I haven't been able to get anything out of Edie. Maybe now that you're here she'll open up a little bit."

Jacoby motioned for Jeff to sit down on the couch where Edie had been seated then dropped back into his own chair. He studied the other man, the firmness of his jaw, the intelligent eyes that carried such obvious concern for his sister. He decided he liked what he saw. Jeff leaned forward, elbows on his knees and hands clasped as he kept an eye on the ladies room.

"Have you known Pete long?" He gave Jacoby a quick glance, thinking that from outward appearances Pete Gunn and this policeman didn't exactly seem to have much in common.

"A while." Jacoby didn't expound beyond that but the gentleness of his voice expressed his feelings. "He's a good friend. A good man."

They were both quiet after that, waiting for Edie to come back. When she did step back into the waiting room about fifteen minutes later she looked a little better. She had changed out of her dress into the slacks and blouse Jeff had brought, had obviously splashed some water on her face to erase the tear streaks and most of her makeup and had tied her hair back. They watched as she stopped at the nurses station to speak with one of the nurses, who gave the clock on the wall a long look before answering back with a shake of her head. Nodding her thanks Edie returned to her seat next to her brother and dropped the travel bag to the floor. The Lieutenant gave her a few minutes then leaned forward to catch her gaze.

"Edie?" He gave an encouraging lift of his eyebrows. "Please talk to me?"

She returned his gaze then finally gave a dispirited shrug.

"We went to supper." She pursed her lips and gazed past him, staring at the opposite wall. After a moment or two she made a sound that was half sob and half chuckle. "We just went to supper," she repeated helplessly.

" _Constantine's_?" Edie nodded yes to Jacoby's soft question. When she didn't continue he again encouraged her with his eyes and his words. "Go on."

"It gets crowded and its hard to find a parking spot around that time so when someone pulled out a couple of blocks from the restaurant Pete pulled in right behind him. We sat in the car and talked for a few minutes then Pete got out and came around and opened my door for me." Her eyes sought his. "While we were standing there we heard some people arguing somewhere and then there was a gunshot and a man came running out of a shop a few doors up."

" _Schaub's_ _Deli_ ," Jacoby inserted quietly.

"He had a gun in his hand and he started waving it around and then he turned around and fired a shot back into the shop and then he turned around again and pointed the gun at me and Pete. I was standing in front of Pete. He hadn't even had time to close the car door." She paused and swallowed past a thick lump in her throat before continuing. "Pete shoved me out of the way. I fell on the ground and I heard two shots and when I looked up the man was lying on the sidewalk and Pete was kneeling next to the car door. I saw him put his gun away and he asked me if I was okay and I told him yes and I asked if he was okay. He didn't answer so I went over to him and..." It took her several moments to continue, her lips trembling as she tried to get the words out. "He looked at me and I thought he was going to say something and I looked down and there was blood all over his-"

Edie drew a shuddering breath as tears began to run silently down her cheeks and she felt the firm grip of her brother's hand as he reached over and grasped both of hers where they rested in her lap.

"I'm not even sure he realized what had happened. And then..." She pressed her lips together and closed her eyes against the tears. "And then he just fell forward and I caught him and I held him and the police were there and the ambulance was there and-"

Jacoby reached across and placed his hand on her knee.

"That's enough." His always quiet voice seemed even gentler than usual. He knew she was at the point where she couldn't go on and he really didn't think he could take hearing any more. "We're done and we don't have to talk about it anymore."

Edie drew a deep breath and nodded. The three of them sat in silence for a while. Then she opened her eyes and looked at him again.

"What happened to the other man?"

Jacoby's face was expressionless.

"He's dead. The argument you heard? Old man Schaub said the guy started yelling at him and cursing him because there was only twelve dollars in the register. He shot Schaub in the arm and he shot Pete and he got himself killed over a measly twelve dollars."

* * *

Pete came to slowly. He felt warm and comfortable and lethargic and didn't even want to open his eyes. He just wanted to hang there in that fuzzy area that occurred just prior to waking up. There was the soft touch of a hand on his hair, cool fingers that moved along his cheek. Warm breath as the woman beside him leaned closer.

"Pete?"

He loved the sound of his name on her lips. The different ways it rolled off her tongue, the varied meanings behind how she said it and the inflection she put upon the single syllable depending upon the circumstances. To her he wasn't ever Peter, except maybe when she introduced him to someone. Or when she was mad at him or really irritated with him, but in those instances she always tacked on his last name so he'd know she was displeased. Other than those rare occasions he was always Pete. Just Pete. And that was good enough for him. And the sound of her voice just now, the intonation of his name, was that of shared intimacy. The kind of intimacy that occurred during these warm, comfortable, lethargic times. But he was also tired. So very tired. His eyelids fluttered but his eyes remained closed.

"I can't."

His voice was scratchy and had a catch to it and was more of a mumble than anything else but his words were clear. Edie raised her eyebrows and glanced at the nurse, who just shook her head and shrugged as she stood next to the hospital bed and kept an eye on the good looking dark-haired man slowly fighting his way through the effects of the anesthetic.

"You can't what, honey?" Edie's hand went to his chin and he could hear the sound made by her fingers gently rubbing against the stubble there, her voice low and encouraging in his ear. "You're almost awake. Can you open your eyes and look at me?"

"...really worn out..." His voice was a little stronger and a small frown creased his forehead as he turned his head to one side on the pillow. "Don't think I could move a muscle right now. But later... we will... promise... spend the whole day in bed... have your wanton way with me..."

Edie groaned and covered her eyes with her hand, feeling a warmth suffuse her face and knowing the tips of her ears were reddening as the meaning of his mumbled words became clear. The nurse smiled and gave a low chuckle as she moved around the bed and toward the door, giving Edie's shoulder a squeeze as she passed.

"Don't worry, sweetie, I've heard worse." She gave Edie an amused look as she opened the door. "I once had a man wake up and start barking like a dog. His wife was so embarrassed I thought she'd sink through the floor. At least your fella knows he's a man."

She was still smiling as she approached the two men who remained seated in the waiting room as the hands of the clock slowly passed the midnight hour. She gave them an update on the patient's condition before advising them both to just go home and get some sleep. Visiting hours would begin at eight and Mr. Gunn would no doubt be bright eyed and bushy tailed by then. Both men somewhat reluctantly agreed while Lieutenant Jacoby suggested that Miss Hart's bother might be allowed into the room for a moment to acquire Mr. Gunn's keys so they could pick up his automobile where it was still parked near the scene of the shooting. The nurse agreed but allowed him no more than two minutes, telling him she'd be right outside the door with her eyes glued to the clock.

Jeff Hart entered the room silently, standing at the door as his eyes adjusted to the lighting. His sister sat next to the bed with her back to him, the fingers of one hand interlaced with those of the man's hand where it lay atop the sheet and light blanket. The hospital bed was slightly inclined and he could see the covers about halfway up Pete's chest, then the top of the standard hospital gown drooping downward a little and allowing access to the edges of a bandaged area. He could also see the gentle rise and fall of Pete's chest. He let the door swing shut, the sound getting Edie's attention so that she turned her head to look up at him as he stood beside her.

"Lieutenant Jacoby asked me to get Pete's keys so we can pick up his car." His voice was soft, almost a whisper, and he kept his eyes on the man in the bed as Edie reached for her purse. She set it on her lap and opened it with one hand, fishing inside for Pete's key ring. It had been given to her along with his other personal items – wallet, cigarette lighter, pocket change, money clip with paper bills, comb, wristwatch, cuff links – before he had been taken into surgery. She indicated the correct key as she handed them to her brother.

"You want us to take it to his place or yours?"

"Mine. Just park it in the back row. If you're coming back later you might want to drive it." She suddenly frowned as a thought struck her. "You're going home tomorrow. Today," she corrected, glancing at her watch.

Jeff shook his head.

"I can wait another day or two, hang around until they're sure everything's all right. I'll call Jenny in a few hours and let her know what's going on and have her tell Mom and Pop, and I'll call the airport and change my ticket." His gaze moved from his sister's face to her sleeping boyfriend. "The doctor said he was really lucky, that he lost a lot of blood but that otherwise the damage wasn't too bad."

Edie didn't answer, merely let her gaze rest on Pete. When Jeff asked if there was anything she needed or anything he could bring back later she suggested that he or Jacoby might drop by Pete's apartment to pick up a few items such as pajamas and underclothes. Her excuse was "I don't think Pete will be happy wearing that gown for long."

* * *

Peter Gunn had saved his sister's life. The man he really didn't care for, the man he was certain was just leading his sister on, the man who in his opinion just considered his sister a warm body to share his bed with, had saved Edie's life. No one had come right out and said so but it was obvious. When that gun had been aimed at the two of them Edie had been standing in front of Pete, had been between him and the gunman, she had said so herself. Pete had shoved her out of the way and had ended up taking the bullet himself. Was it just an accident that it had happened that way? Was it just a coincidence that he had been the one who was shot? Or had his actions been those of a man whose only thought had been to ensure the safety of a woman he was truly in love with?

Jeff Hart paused in the act of packing his suitcase. His flight left in just under five hours. That gave him more than enough time to get his things together, drive to the hospital with his sister to get Pete checked out and taken home, spend about an hour with them to help get things situated, call a cab and head to the airport. By evening he'd be at home with his own family.

But he just couldn't get those thoughts out of his head. They followed him wherever he went. Which was the real Peter Gunn? Was he the man who was unapologetically sleeping with Edie but was loathe to admit, at least out loud, to any interest in marriage? Was he the man who had risked getting himself killed in order to protect that same woman? Or was he someone in between? Was Pete's relationship with Edie all black and white or were there gray areas that no one else was aware of? And did it really make any difference? Jeff was of the opinion that it didn't, that he and Peter Gunn would butt heads over Edie no matter what the circumstances.

Later at the hospital he waited, sitting on the hard-backed wooden chair just inside the door of Pete's room, as the man got dressed with the aid of Edie and the nurse. Pants were pulled on over the boxers he had already been wearing in lieu of the gown that, as Edie had predicted, he refused to wear. A short-sleeved lightly checkered shirt was buttoned up, the left sleeve empty as the material covered his left arm, which was bound tightly in a sling to totally restrict his movement on that side. Jeff was shocked at the amount of bruising visible around the bandages covering the wound located somewhere below Pete's collarbone. Then Edie helped him on with his socks and shoes and following some instructions from the medical staff and the signing of discharge papers they were ready to leave.

Back at Edie's apartment – Jeff wasn't happy about that but what could he really say at this point? – Pete sat himself down at one end of the couch and carefully slipped his shoes off before raising his feet to a hassock that Edie pushed toward him. Jeff rolled his two pieces of luggage out of the way and left them sitting by the door so he'd have everything ready to go when the time came. Then he stood with his back to the window watching as his sister fussed over the man. To be perfectly honest he couldn't decide whether Pete was enjoying the attention or was irritated by it. He really was a hard man to read. Finally, after sticking a pillow behind Pete's back, Edie straightened and shifted her gaze between the two men.

"Are you sure I can't make us some coffee?" She directed the question to Jeff. "There's still some time before you have to leave and Pete seems to think the coffee they offer on airplanes is nothing but colored water."

Jeff hurrumphed and ran a hand over his hair. For once he agreed with Pete but he didn't let on. He pretended to consider, glanced at his wristwatch then gave a nod.

"Sure, I guess I could use a cup." He ignored the suspicious gaze coming from Pete's direction, which was to be expected considering how vociferous he'd been on the drive from the hospital about not needing coffee and not wanting to put Edie to any more trouble than was necessary since he'd be leaving shortly and she had enough to do with Pete anyway. Edie raised her eyebrows toward Pete, who just gave a one-shouldered shrug.

After Edie disappeared into the kitchen Jeff stuck his hands into his pants pockets and remained standing where he was as he gave Pete a considering look. Finally he spoke.

"I know I should have said it earlier, but... I know you saved Edie's life the other night and I want to thank you for that. It means a lot to me that you did what you did." He shifted uncomfortably, as though it was taking a great deal of effort to thank the other man, and quickly changed the tone of his comments. "But don't for a minute think that means I'm suddenly your new best buddy, because I'm not. I still don't approve of your relationship with my sister."

Pete's eyes narrowed at Edie's brother and the conciliatory answer he'd been preparing quickly died on his lips. If that's the way it was going to be, fine.

"I didn't do it for you," he told the other man, the muscle in his jaw working overtime. "I have my own selfish reasons for wanting to keep Edie safe."

Jeff huffed a sigh.

"You know, if there was any way I could get away with it I'd pack her and her things up right now and take her back home with me. At least I know she'd be safe there."

"You wouldn't get very far," Pete quietly threatened.

"You think? You're not exactly in any shape to stop me."

"You'd be surprised at the things I can do with one arm tied behind my back."

The conversation died as Edie entered the room with three cups and the percolator. She frowned curiously at Pete as she set everything down on the coffee table.

"What about your arm?" she asked worriedly.

Pete's face was serenely innocent as he answered.

"I was just saying that this sling is so tight I feel like I have one arm tied behind my back."

"Well don't get any ideas," she frowned, then began pouring coffee. "Dr. Sheen said it has to stay that way for at least the next week. The last thing I want to have to do is call and tell him you aren't following his instructions. The only reason he let you leave the hospital in the first place was because you promised you'd do everything he said."

"Don't worry, I'll do exactly what he told me," Pete soothed, his eyes smiling at her. "Did you say something about lunch?"

Done with pouring the coffee, Edie gave Pete a confused stare.

"No, I didn't. Are you hungry?"

He shrugged his shoulders and gave a little smile.

"That gruel they gave me this morning didn't really go very far."

"It was oatmeal and at the time you said you liked it."

"I did, it just didn't fill me up."

"Okaaay." Edie drew the word out a little bit, wondering if maybe his pain medications were doing strange things to him. "What would you like? A sandwich or some soup?"

"A sandwich would be fine."

"Soup, " Jeff butted in. "I'd like a sandwich and some soup. I probably won't get anything on the flight. Tomato maybe?" He smiled one of those big Hart smiles at his sister.

Edie slowly nodded her head, her wary gaze shifting from one man to the other. Something was obviously going on here. Without a word she headed back to the kitchen.

"No offense, but I really don't like you very much." Jeff waited until Edie was out of sight before speaking, his voice low but clear.

"That's fine." Pete picked up his cup and took a sip of coffee after blowing on it to cool it off. "There's an entire 'I hate Pete Gunn' fan club out there. I can get you an honorary membership. Maybe even a button to hang on your shirt."

"And I don't know why you had to come back here when you were released from the hospital." Jeff folded his arms across his chest and stared at Pete. "Why didn't you just go back to your own apartment?"

Pete looked at Jeff over the rim of his coffee cup.

"Maybe this _is_ my apartment," he finally said with a straight face, knowing the other man would be irked. He tried to keep from smiling as he leaned back against the pillow Edie had placed behind his back, watching as Jeff's eyes narrowed.

"Considering the amount of your clothes I found in the bedroom closet that wouldn't surprise me. But I know you're just trying to mess with me so I'm not even going to give that the benefit of a response."

Pete just shrugged, then grimaced as a sharp pain radiated throughout his chest at the movement of his shoulders. He set his empty cup down on the arm of the couch and sat very still as the pain slowly went away. And then he just felt very tired. Of everything. Especially the man standing across from him.

"You know what?" He massaged the bridge of his nose with two fingers, wishing his sudden headache away, then looked at Jeff with weary eyes. "I love your sister very much. Beyond that our relationship is none of your business. You don't approve of it or me, fine. That's not your battle to fight. Edie's a big girl and she can make her own decisions about what she does with her life and who she spends it with." With a little difficulty Pete pulled himself to his feet then gave the other man an appraising look. "And she's spending it with me. Nothing is going to change that so you might as well get used to it."

* * *

Some time later Pete felt the bed shift as someone settled down next to him where he lay on top of the covers. He turned his head to look at Edie, albeit somewhat groggily. He'd been lying on his back in the dark, nursing his aches and pains while waiting for a pill to take effect, idly thinking about the past several days. She lay on her side facing him, her gaze peaceful and soft and kind and loving.

"Jeff gone?" He tried to disguise the hope in his voice.

"Mmmhmmm. Right after lunch." Her words were peaceful and soft and kind and loving, too. "And Pete?"

"What?"

"He'll get used to it."

"You were eavesdropping," he sighed, hearing the smile in her voice.

"Of course. You were both acting so strange I knew something had to be going on."

"Know what?" Pete asked.

His brain was still juggling the events of the past few days. Black eye, bloody nose, punch below the belt, bullet wound, name-calling, aggravation, irritation. Jeff Hart.

"What?"

"I should have just stayed in that motel room another night..."

The End


End file.
